Paul tells the Philippians that he wants to die but is willing to stay and serve, to enable them to progress in joy and faith (v25). I suspect that this is the opposite attitude to life and ministry of most of us. Paul wanted to die but was willing to stay and serve. I fear... Continue Reading

The creeds, confessions, and catechisms of the church form the core curriculum for teaching Christians the faith. Catechesis is a word that simply means teaching. Catechisms, however, are usually a specific format of teaching through questions and answers. Children learn catechisms at an age where memorization is easy. Later in life, when young people ask lots... Continue Reading

The church has many ministries that address the social or physical needs of people, but it must remember that its core calling is the ministry of the Word. God entrusted to the church this unique gift: his special revelation in its authority, clarity, necessity, unity in Christ, efficacy, inerrant veracity, and sufficiency. Like the apostles,... Continue Reading

Our sin and rebellion against God has put distance between us and him. In his old-covenant grace, he drew near to his covenant people called Israel. But now, in the new covenant, he draws near not to a particular ethnic people, but to all who receive his Son in faith, no matter who they are... Continue Reading

Today many people, including widows, are financially wealthy but relationally impoverished. There is a great plague of loneliness in society in general and among the elderly in particular. The church has the opportunity and even the duty to provide for that relational need and many other needs among its members who are elderly or alone.... Continue Reading

We experience the discomfort of either a deficiency or a danger. We encounter a trial. When that trial comes, it gives us the opportunity to persist in believing God, often in spite of our circumstances. The trial is a chance to endure, and our endurance matters to God. We are most truly God’s people when we... Continue Reading

Over the last thirty years, political correctness has metastasized. Today, so many politically-correct assumptions have become mainstream that, as Tocqueville once predicted, they have narrowed our questions and our ability to question rather than actually tell us the exact answers to things. Is there a solution? Of course, but it will take immense time and work.... Continue Reading

Church history is messy because of the fact that God uses fallen humanity to advance his kingdom. Church history is messy because the world’s history intersects with the church’s. Church history is messy because we cannot consider all unforeseen consequences of decisions and choices. Church history is messy because theology has a people-story connectedness. Church... Continue Reading

The account of Lucifer’s rebellion and the angelic objection in serving an incarnate Christ is not exclusive to Jonathan Edwards. In fact, the Italian Reformer Girolamo Zanchi (1516–90), a professor of Old Testament and theology at Strasbourg and Heidelberg, included several reflections about this in his own writings. Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680), who served as a... Continue Reading

From the very beginning, Spurgeon sought to make the gospel the central theme of his preaching ministry. His very first sermon as pastor at Waterbeach was from Matthew 1:21, “Thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.”[2] Every sermon, no matter what text he was preaching, Spurgeon sought... Continue Reading